BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State Billings women's basketball team exacted a bit of revenge with a 59-48 victory over visiting Central Washington Thursday evening at Alterowitz Gymnasium. The victory avenged an 81-71 loss to the Wildcats last month. The Yellowjackets were led by a double-double from senior Jenny Heringer with a game-high 22 points and 10.  CWU was led by 14 points from Sophie Russell.

“I thought the key tonight was our team defense,” MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin said.  “I thought we rebounded consistently, despite our offensive woes we were able to stay in the game. We got off to a good start in both halves, but give Central Washington credit for fighting back in the first half.  I thought we responded well and played a good second half.”

The Jackets improved to 12-9 overall and 8-5 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, while Central Washington fell to 7-13 and 2-11 in conference play.  Senior Kayla Ryan was one point shy of a double-double with 12 rebounds and nine points, while freshman Bobbi Knudsen finished with 10 points.  Senior Mandy Jacobs chipped in eight rebounds and six points.

Both teams struggled shooting as the Jackets were just 17 of 60 from the field for 28.3 percent.  They were 5 of 23 from beyond the arc and 20 of 31 from the charity stripe. CWU shot 31.1 percent from the field on 19 of 61.  The Wildcats were 4 of 22 from beyond the arc and were just 6 of 11 from the free throw line.

Despite the shooting woes, the Jackets tallied a season-high with 60 rebounds against the Wildcats. It was the most rebounds for MSUB since recording 64 against Western Oregon in 2006.  It also was the most rebounds by CWU opponent since Saint Martin's tallied 62 on Dec. 3, 1998, in the Wildcats' sixth-ever game as a NCAA Division II member.

The Jackets led wire-to-wire marking the first time this season (20 games) that CWU has not led in a game.

“Defensively I thought Shantell Marquis set the tone and Kayla Ryan did a great job on the boards,” Woodin added.  “Jenny Heringer played a complete game as she rebounded well and made some free throws along with some key baskets.”

The Jackets opened the game with a 16-6 run through the first nine minutes of the contest capped by a jumper from freshman Lisa Laslovich with 11:27 left.  MSUB swelled the lead back to ten moments later at 20-10.  It was the largest lead of the half for the Jackets.

From there, CWU began chipping away at the deficit started with a triple from Deaira Gordon as MSUB scored just three points the rest of the half and didn't score a field goal in the final three minutes.  The Wildcats used a 12-3 run to close the half within 23-22.

The Jackets came out of the gates in the second half with a 12-2 run through the first five minutes for a 35-24 lead.  CWU's first field goal of the second half came at the 14:08 mark on a jumper from Luv Rattler.

A big triple from Knudsen with 12 minutes left swelled the lead to 15 points at 43-28, marking the largest lead of the game to that point.  Two free throws by Ryan moments late pushed the lead to 17, but the pesky Wildcats wouldn't go away as they cut the deficit back to single digits with 4:48 left at 49-40.

Heringer hit probably the biggest triple of the game moments later to put the Jackets back up double digits where they would build the lead back to as many as 15 points in the final two minutes and settle for the 59-48 win.

The Yellowjackets close the home stand Saturday evening against Northwest Nazarene in the Fourth Annual MSUB Pink Zone Event benefitting the Eva Project. The WBCA (Women's Basketball Coaches Association) began the “Think Pink/Pink Zone” in 2007 to help awareness and to fight breast cancer.  All women will be admitted free to the game which tips at 7 p.m.

“We are looking forward to playing NNU as they really took it to us a month ago,” Woodin concluded.  “It will be a big challenge for us and I will be excited to see if we have improved since then.”